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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23385934">The Black Cat Of Paris</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ButterflyMilkJellies/pseuds/ButterflyMilkJellies'>ButterflyMilkJellies</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Attempted Murder, Cats, Dogs, Eventual Rescue, Eventual Romance, Explicit Language, F/M, Inspired by TV shows no one watches anymore, Murder, Sexual Content</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:00:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,644</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23385934</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ButterflyMilkJellies/pseuds/ButterflyMilkJellies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This adventurous story is about a cat who trys to save his friend from a crazy red haired tabby cat.</p><p>All this started with a stray cat, who loves to bet and gamble, gets caught cheating on a poker game and then gets caught as a spy in the process. He's taken to Paris where his worst enemy waits for him. He now has to hope that his southern friend can come and save him and help him defeat this fat cat and all his smelly k-9 minions.</p><p>But his friend doesn't know that he's a spy. He's just a gambler who's about to be dog chow.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Original Female Character/Original Male Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Gamble Of Life</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is the first story I've ever written and I'm more curious about how A03 works, so I've posted this story to see what happens. </p><p>Oh well. Let's see what happens.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a gorgeous, snowy, winter day.</p><p>The sun was shining, the white, soft snow was cold and glittering all around.</p><p>It was beautiful.</p><p>"Get out you stupid cat!" A man yelled as he threw the little stowaway out of his truck and onto the cold snow by the road. The driver gave the same treatment, if not worse, to the stowaway's musical instrument.</p><p>"Huh....HEY FATTY! I left a hair-ball in there just so you know! And you're a terrible driver too!" The cat yelled back as the man hopped back into his truck and drove away. </p><p>Leaving the ball of fluff alone in the cold. Again.</p><p>"Jerk." He grumbled, "He smelt like dog drool and wet fur anyway."</p><p>'Jack. It's time we found our own ride.' He thought to myself, then snorted a laugh. 'Yeah right.' </p><p>He stood from the snow to dust himself off then grabbed his hat and guitar from the ground and continued on his journey. </p><p>He sometimes walked backward and held up his thumb to any passing driver he saw. </p><p>In the end it wasn't very fruitful. Many didn’t even see him by the road in their tall cars. Others who did see, didn't want a stray, flea bitten cat in their car. </p><p>Which was why he jumped inside the back of a pick-up-truck to save him the trip. Until the driver saw someone's out-of-place black fur in his rear view mirror.</p><p>Oh well. It was worth a shot.</p><p>Car or no car, he was determined to get to where he was going. He had to. His friend needed him to.</p><p>His thoughts led him back to when all this happened.</p><p>'Ben and I left the farm house as quickly as we could.</p><p>Seeing as those cats were still surprised how Ben won the poker game again for the 3rd time in a row, we thought we really shouldn't stay any longer.</p><p>Oh we were in trouble.</p><p>"HAHAHA!!" We both laughed as we remembered, and joked about, the look on the red tabby's face.</p><p>His jaw had completely hit the floor. His red hair looked like real flaming fire as it stood on end when he found out that Ben had cheated, and won, after we already left the barn.</p><p>We left out the front door after Ben grabbed his winnings and stuffed them into his backpack while all the tabby's cat pals were still staring at the, now empty of money, wooden table speechless that their leader had lost the game. Again.</p><p>"Oh boy! Did you see his face when we just walked right out of there? Priceless!" Ben said as we continued walking across the farm land.</p><p>"Yeah, I saw his face, but did you see his hair? Ha! You could've fried hotdogs right over his head." I told him.</p><p>"HAHAHA!!!" We roared in laughter.</p><p>"Yeah that just made my night, Man, that was totally... " He stopped.</p><p>What was that noise?</p><p>We turned our heads as we looked for the strange noise. It sounded like a helicopter was about to fly over us.</p><p>It was a lot closer to the ground then it should of been.</p><p>"HOLY FUCKIN' COW!!!" I yelled as a helicopter come straight for us.</p><p>"Oh no. RUN JACK! RUN!!" Ben yelled as he saw the helicopter turn on a big spotlight.</p><p>We didn't have enough time to run.</p><p>I heard gun shots and a sharp pain started in my back. I fell to the ground when the feeling in my limbs faded along with my vision.</p><p>The last thing I saw was a red blur step off the helicopter and come to us. It stopped in front of Ben.</p><p>Then the blur faded to black.</p><p>When I woke up I was on my back. I was lying on an old green rug that smelt like dust and neglect.</p><p>I slowly sat up and looked around.</p><p>I was in an old house with a big hole in the front floorboards. The sun shined in through multiple holes in the grey plastic of a sealed up window.</p><p>My hat was resting on my guitar next to Ben's dark purple backpack on an old brownish-grey flower patterned sofa. It also smelt like dust and neglect with a hint of cigarette smoke.</p><p>I didn't see Ben. </p><p>"Ugh." I groaned as I tried to stand. My head hurt. A lot.</p><p>"Ben?" I asked.</p><p>If his backpack was here then he's got to be here too. He never goes anywhere without it.</p><p>"Ugh...what happened?"</p><p>I finally got to my feet and stretched my stiff limbs. I must have been here for a while. On this dirty rug. Grose.</p><p>"Ahh...that's better....Ben? Where are you?" I asked for him again. But didn't get a reply.</p><p>I started looking around for any thing that would help me find where he might be.</p><p>"Ben? Ben, man I know you're here. Your bag's layin' here. Ben?"  </p><p>Then I remembered what happened.</p><p>The poker game, the helicopter, the gun shots, and the red tabby. The red blur before I passed out.</p><p>'He has Ben.' I thought. I looked around harder, even under the sofa. </p><p>Nothing.</p><p>"Shit." I cursed once I picked up my hat.</p><p>I was about to place it on it's rightful place on my head, when I saw what was pinned to it. </p><p>It was a folded letter.</p><p>"Dear, Maine coon<br/>
   If you are reading this then that means you've woken up in the building that I have placed you in, somewhere within Maine.<br/>
  Your friend has some business with me that I need to discuss with him.<br/>
  After our lovely little game that night, I've found that your friend had cheated me.<br/>
  I have also found that your friend has some remarkable traits that I've seen before in a cat that I am not too fawned of. Really Not Found Of.<br/>
  I think you know of said cat. And I think he IS said cat.<br/>
  If he proves to be the said cat that I say he is, then I will be forced to eliminate him.<br/>
I intend to test him to prove my thoughts.<br/>
  If he fails these tests then I might let him go, but if he doesn't fail these tests then he's doggie chow.<br/>
  And you, along with everyone else will never see him again.</p><p>However, I love a game, so I will give you the chance to find him.</p><p>He will be in paris. Somewhere.</p><p>  Look for a Ragdoll with a diamond collar and crystal eyes. Her name is Bee. Ask for B.R. She will do the rest.<br/>
Good luck.<br/>
                   <br/>
                           Sincerely, Boss Red<br/>
P.S :<br/>
  Here is a little head start: There will be a circus boat at the docks that is supposed to be going to Europe. You can go from there."</p><p>I put on my hat, grabbed the empty backpack and my guitar. </p><p>It was still cold outside. The world still covered in fresh white snow. Still snowing.</p><p>I didn't know what to think about now.</p><p>Some phyco fur-ball has my best friend and I'm supposed to travel to a whole other country and bring him back just because the phyco likes to play games.</p><p>I have questions that might not get answered.</p><p>Who does this crazy phyco think my friend is? Who is the 'said cat' this 'Boss Red' talked about. Who is 'Boss Red'? A crime boss? A criminal? A crazy phyco cat who escaped from a science lab? </p><p>Probably, his hair was strange red color and he did smell like an old glue factory.... </p><p>This isn't good.</p><p>'I hope you're alive Ben.' I hoped. </p><p>The world seemed a lot colder now then it had five minutes ago.'</p><p>He sighed.</p><p>Ben was like a brother to him. Even if they weren't the same species of cat. It worked out for them. </p><p>They met when they were only kittens. Both of their mothers were house cats. They lived right across from each other ever since they were born. </p><p>Their personalities were different but their dreams were very similar. They wanted their dreams to come true, just like anyone else. They were going to make it happen too.</p><p>Until Ben got involved in something big and dangerous.</p><p>He likes to gamble and bet on things that will, like now, probably get him killed.</p><p>He doesn't always play by the rules ether. He cheats sometimes and that would get him into a lot of trouble if anyone found out, like now, and I usually have to get him out of trouble, like now. </p><p>He's bet on something and played his games and has made yet another animal mad because he cheated and got caught. </p><p>This time though, it's a lot more serious.</p><p>Every time someone catches him cheating the worst that happens is Ben loses the money and he gets a knuckles-sandwich. No one's ever wanted to catnap him.</p><p>This is a new brand of crazy they haven't tried yet. There really is a first time for everything. </p><p>It was just like the old days, trying to survive. Having to hitch hike, go hunting for rodents, and avoid crazy cat ladies and mean mangy dogs.</p><p>'When I find Ben, we can go back to our lives, we can go back to our happy life living as strays.' He thought.</p><p>Always running, always having an adventure, always in some kind of trouble, always having fun.</p><p>He walked along side an old rotting fence heading toward the dock.</p><p>"Finally!" He huffed when he saw the boat. Only it wasn't a boat. It was a ship. A HUGE ship.</p><p>While he continued to walk closer to the ship he could see large elephants pulling cages that held different types of animals inside the ship. He also saw people carrying various types of equipment behind the elephants. They were loading the ship.</p><p>"Oi! Black cat! I'd warn you not to take another step towards the tents, please." A rough voice yelled behind him.</p><p>He turned to see a grey tabby watching him. </p><p>He had grey fur with darker grey stripes and a white belly. He had one green eye and one white-grey eye with four pink scars running down the side. Fur fluff was coming out of his ripped ears, one ear held two golden hoops. Around his neck was a red scarf.</p><p>"Name's Oliver." He said and held his paw out.</p><p>"Jack." He said while he shook the old cat's paw.</p><p>"Now as I said, you might wanna stay here while people are moving things around. Come back when they've left. These people are pretty superstitious. And your a black cat. A BIG black cat." He told me. "Get the idea?"</p><p>Jack's heard about superstitions before. A black cat walking across your path giving you bad luck is one of the ones he first heard of. Obviously.</p><p>"That's the stupidest superstition ever made. I'm not bad luck and I need to get on that ship." Jack told him. He turned around and started walking towards the ship.</p><p>Until Oliver grabbed his arm.</p><p>"This is a circus ship for circus only. And no black cats allowed." Oliver said.</p><p>Jack didn't want to fight this old cat, but if it was the only way to get his friend back.....</p><p>"Look, do you know a cat called 'Boss Red' ?" Jack asked.</p><p>"Red?" He asked. "Why?"</p><p>The old cat looked angry. He definitely met this cat at some point.</p><p>"He told me I needed to get on this boat or ship and find a Ragdoll cat with a diamond collar and crystal eyes. She's supposed to take me to him. He has my friend." Jack told the old cat.</p><p>Jack removed his hat and gave Oliver the letter.</p><p>"What kind of joke is this?" Oliver growled. </p><p>"Do you know him?" He asked.</p><p>"It....no...I don't....not any more." He said still staring at the letter.</p><p>Oliver shook his head then crumbled up the letter into a tight ball and threw it over his shoulder into the snow</p><p>"Take my advice kid. Forget your friend, never say that name again, forget any of this ever happened, and go home." Oliver said. "Now get lost before the ring leaders see you and feed you to the bears."</p><p>Jack picked up the ball of paper and stuffed it back into his hat.</p><p>He sighed. He needed on that ship. </p><p>What to do, what to do.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Always In An Adventure</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Chapter 2.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I know it's been a bit, but, there's a lot for me to edit.</p><p>And, so, with out further a due, here is chapter 2.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Alright men, just a few more crates and we'll be ready to go!!" A man in a dark red sweater yelled into a big megaphone.</p><p>"Grrr." Jack growled. </p><p>There he was, sitting on a frozen fence post freezing his butt off. </p><p>He has nothing. No plans. No ideas. And no warmth. Time was running out. </p><p>So, he out pulled his guitar and set it on his lap and started to play. Something to help put his mind at ease and to hopefully give him an idea to solve a problem the way music always has.</p><p>A big muscled man stopped a few yards away and turned his head towards the sad, lovely sound of the song.</p><p>"Oop! Hey Why'd you stop?" A girl asked behind the man. </p><p>She had been helping him with the crates when he stopped and she bumped into him.</p><p>He didn't say anything just kept his head turned towards the sound.</p><p>She looked at him, then to the musical sound.</p><p>"Ooh that's a beautiful sound." She sighed after seconds of listening.</p><p>The large man set the big crate of circus equipment down and walked to the sound.</p><p>"Hey! Wait, I wanna go with you!" The girl called as she set the crate of equipment down beside of his and ran towards her friend.</p><p>"Wow. Who knew a cat could play the guitar so beautifully?" The Girl asked once she caught up to the man.</p><p>The muscled man was still silent as he smiled and listened to the song. </p><p>Until the cat stopped and jumped down in a triumphant victory bounce.</p><p>"Ha! I've Got It! This Has To Work!" He yelled as an idea came to his head. Unaware of the admiring people behind him that had been listening.</p><p>The muscled man stopped smiling and looked at the black cat with a questioning look. The little girl didn't hesitate to do the same.</p><p>Jack started to make his way to the little crates left that the crew were finishing putting on the ship, but stopped when he saw a huge tan skinned man and a pale looking Teenage girl standing a few feet away from him. </p><p>"Uh...." he didn't know what to do.</p><p>This man could easily rip his head off his small body if the man wanted to and the girl could probably hug him to death if the 'I want to pet him' look didn't kill him first.</p><p>The girl looked at the big man with the same look and then looked back at the the cat. The big man rolled his eyes and went over to the little cat. </p><p>The man picked him up by the scruff of his neck and headed towards the ship. The girl grabbed Ben's backpack and the cat's guitar then followed the big man. </p><p>She was in a fit of giggles skipping beside them while the man walked.</p><p>'Houston, I THINK WE HAVE A PROBLEM!!!' I screamed in my head.</p><p>'I should of listened to Oliver. I should've left when I had the chance. I shouldn't of played my guitar right in the middle of all these people. WHY DO SO MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE IN THAT STUPID SUPERSTITION OF ONE BLACK CAT!!!' He shouted in his head.</p><p>He tried to scratch the man anywhere he could touch him, but nothing worked. </p><p>He probably looked like he got thrown onto an electrified fence with his fur standing on end. </p><p>'When they skin me alive i'll make a good hat. Like a raccoon hat. Only it's going to be cat fur. My cat fur.' He though gruesomely. 'Ben....my brother, my partner in crime, my crazy best friend...I'm gonna haught you for the rest of your life. If your even still alive.'</p><p>When the large man stopped he set the cat down on a big crate, but when the cat made a run for it, the man grabbed his tail than he stretched out his hand and moved it up and down in a 'calm down' manner. Then he pointed to Jack's guitar still in the hands of the young girl.</p><p>"He wants you to play that song again, kitty." The girl said. Still looking at Jack like he was a huggable teddy bear. The man nodded in agreement.</p><p>The girl handed him back the musical instrument and set Ben's backpack down on the crate next to him.</p><p>The man released Jack's tail and gave him a small, silent, hopeful smile.</p><p>Jack just looked at the two with disbelief.</p><p>"You can play that song again, can't you?" She asked.</p><p>'HOUSTON! WE'RE SAVED!!' Jack thought as he smiled reluctantly and nodded his head to the girl.</p><p>"Uh, sure. I guess it wouldn't hurt." He told them.</p><p>"Yay! Thank you!" She said.</p><p>He sat down on the box and started to play the song he did before.</p><p>The girl sat down beside him while the man went back to packing the crates. Listening happily.</p><p>When he started to play, some people stopped what they where doing to see what the sound was, but eventually just shrugged and went back to work. They where happily listening to the song while working too.</p><p>The girl beside Jack was swinging her legs and humming to the tune. Her bright happy smile never fading.</p><p>   ---~About A Few Hours Later~--</p><p>Jack had played a few more songs on his guitar, but eventually all the crates and animal cages where packed and put on the ship ready to depart.</p><p>They where ready to set sail to Europe.</p><p>"Thank you SO much Kitty. That was amazing." The girl said. She hasn't left his side since he started. </p><p>When he was playing, he did get some crazy mean looks from some people as they passed them.</p><p>'Stupid superstitions.' Jack thought.</p><p>The only crate that hasn't been packed up yet was the one they were sitting on, but, no one made a move to take it and pack it up with the rest of the crates yet. They just stood in front of him as he played his last song for them. Listening to the lovely melody he's made.</p><p>As the song came to an end, it was quiet. Then a low clapping started. One...then two...then three more...then it was roaring in cheering. Wow.</p><p>Is this what it feels like to be wanted? To be loved? I've been a stray for so long . . . I've forgotten . . .</p><p>All of a sudden Jack was pulled into a vise grip like hug. He was startled at first, but then rolled his green 'kitty' eyes and hugged the black haired girl back. He knew she was going to do it. </p><p>He couldn't help the big smile that came to him. </p><p>"WOW! THAT IS ONE TALENTED CAT!" A man in a deep red sweater said as he made his way to the happy scene.</p><p>The cheering died down as he came closer.</p><p>The girl let him go and hopped off the crate. She picked him up and held him close to her slender body.</p><p>The man in the red sweater had dark skin and deep brown, almost black eyes. A lit cigarette was in his mouth under his thick greying mustache. He leaned on an expensive looking cane that was under his hand that were covered by white, spotless gloves. </p><p>This must be their ring leader.</p><p>The man stopped in front of the black cat without fear. He didn't like the feeling the man gave off. It was creepy and strange.</p><p>"Wow! You play really good, Cat. Where did you learn that?" The ring master asked.</p><p>Jack didn't know if he should answer him or not with this feeling, but, he had to do something.</p><p>"An old friend taught me when I was a kitten." Jack said.</p><p>"Well, you've got to let me meet them sometime, because that was AMAZING!" The man's overly bright smile seemed like it got bigger each second he was in front of the 'talented' cat.</p><p>The man then snapped his fingers and two people from the crowd came and picked up the large crate Jack had been sitting on. They took it through the crowd and onto the ship to be packed away, out of sight.</p><p>Jack stayed silent.</p><p>The man looked at the girl cradling him, then clicked his tongue and nodded his head at the ship in a 'go over there' manner, then set his eyes back on Jack. And smiled.</p><p>Creepy.</p><p>The girl set the cat down on the old wood of the dock and went towards the indicated destination this man had nodded to.</p><p>"You got a name, Cat?" He asked.</p><p>"Jack."</p><p>"Jack . . . Okay Jack, I'm Agustis. How would you like to take a trip to Europe?"</p><p>Wait what. He wasn't expecting that.</p><p>"Uh . . . what?"</p><p>By now all the crew members had left and are now on the ship. Waiting for their ring leader to finish his chat with the black cat.</p><p>"You heard me. Do you want to go to Europe?" Agustis asked again.</p><p>"But I'm a black cat. Shouldn't you be afraid of me? Afraid that I might give you bad luck?" Jack asked him. He crossed his arms over his fuzzy chest. Of corse, he knew this was a lie, because, this man wouldn't even be talking to him if it were true.</p><p>'If Oliver said they were superstitious then why isn't he afraid of me? Wait...why weren't all the people in the crowd afraid of me? All of them were just watching me. Doing nothing to stop me from being in front of them. Or the girl. She wasn't afraid.'</p><p>"Hahaha!" Agustis laughed. "You think I believe that stupid little lie!?! A black cat giving bad luck!?! Hahaha!"</p><p>"But a grey tabby cat told me that people on this ship where supposed to be superstitious?"</p><p>"Haha . . . well maybe a few of them. Or at least the one's from the Marie Ann's crew. But me and my crew aren't. We don't believe in those silly things."</p><p>"But what about the grey tabby? Oliver?"</p><p>"Oliver? I think he's from the Joey Joey circus. Most of those boys believe in the superstitions. Black cats, walking under ladders, throwing salt over your shoulder if you spill it, lots of those things."</p><p>'Why That No Good Hair Ball!!!' Jack cursed.</p><p>"Anyway, back to the question at hand. How would you like to go to Europe with us, Jack?" Agustis asked. </p><p>This was his chance. To go to Europe. To find his friend. He has to take this man's offer. Just like the letter said. The letter said . . . oh boy.</p><p>"Uh . . . Y-Yeah . . . I'd . . . love to." Jack said. He held his paw out for the man to shake. Accepting his offer before he could refuse.</p><p>Or before Jack could have time to change his mind.</p><p>If he didn't have fur his skin would have just lost all its color.</p><p>But, Agustis doesn't have to know about the letter. Only he and Oliver knew.</p><p>Agustis smiled and bent down to put his hand in Jack's paw. The deal was sealed. He's going to Europe. Finally.</p><p>There was suddenly a loud horn sounding off and then shouting. Signaling that it was time to go. Everything was packed. The animals were fed. Now they just needed their last passenger.</p><p>Agustis stood up and walked to the ship. Jack was soon following after him.</p><p>Getting closer to the ship, he saw that it was bigger up close. A lot bigger.</p><p>"How many people are on this ship?"</p><p>"I don't know. There are three circuses aboard. Mine, the 'Agustis's Acrobatic Circus' or the 'AAC', a friend of mine, the 'Marie Ann's Dancing Dogs' or the 'MADC' (pronounced Mads for Marie Ann Dog Circus), and then a new circus just starting up, called the 'Joey Joey Circus'."He explained.</p><p>"Wow."</p><p>When they stepped abord the ship there where large tarps tied down with crates under them.</p><p>"Well, go have a look around, Jack. I'll inform the crew that you'll be on our ship until we land in Europe. As to not cause any trouble if someone thinks you might be a stowaway." He chuckled.</p><p>"Thank you."</p><p>"No problem." Agustis said. "And if you want to find that girl again, she should be down stairs helping with the elephants."</p><p>Jack turned to see a big steel staircase leading down into the ship.</p><p>"Alright, thanks." He thanked him again and left down the stairs.</p><p>Going down the stairs wasn't exactly an easy task. Not when the boat lonched off from the dock, sharply swaying to one side, then to the other as the captain tried to straightened it out.</p><p>Jack was thrown into the wall and was tumbling down the steps. When he hit the bottom he was laid out flat on his fluffy belly.</p><p>Who said cats always landed on their feet?</p><p>"HAHAHAHA!" Jack heard bouncing off the metal walls of the ship. </p><p>He looked up to see two identical thin cats. Their mismatched blue eyes watched his green ones with amusement.</p><p>"Oh look sister, this cat doesn't have his sea legs on!" One said to her darker blue eyed twin.</p><p>"But sister, cats are supposed to land on their feet!" The other one said.</p><p>They both busted out in laughter.</p><p>'Oh boy' Jack thought.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. You Are A Pirate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Oh! wait sister, isn't he that cat Hank was talking about? The one outside playing the beautiful guitar?" One said, the one that had lighter pale blue eyes, almost a white blue, compared to the other.</p><p>Both cats looked at him with piercing gazes.</p><p>"Yes sister, I believe you're right. 'A black cat with a guitar'." The darker blue eyed one said.</p><p>Both blue eyed cats shared a look then looked back at him again. </p><p>"Here let us help you up." They offered.</p><p>"My name is blue." The one with the dark blue eyes said.</p><p>"And I am Crystal." The one with pale blue eyes followed.</p><p>Jack was pulled to his feet and found his arms linked through theirs.</p><p>"You must come with us. We would absolutely love to hear you play again. Right, sister?" Blue said.</p><p>"Yes. We didn't get to hear you properly the first time, we were already on the ship, but when Hank told us of a black cat playing such a lovely, wonderful, tune outside, we had to investigate." </p><p>"Though we weren't able to go out and see anything, we where told to stay on the ship and out of the worker's way."</p><p>"Out of trouble."</p><p>"Like we would cause trouble." They laughed.</p><p>They led him through the metal hallways to a big door that was opened. He could hear talking further down.</p><p>It was the animals the elephants where carrying in cages from the docks, only now, they were out of their cages and where talking to one another.</p><p>"I don't know June, that was a wonderful sound. How could someone who gives bad luck play something so beautifully?" A male voice said.</p><p>"It's called a siren, Hank, they'll play something pretty to get you close, then when you get close enough, that's when they strike." A female voice argued.</p><p>"Oh please, he was probably just an ally cat. Just some stray." The male said.</p><p>"Well siren, cat, fish, or whatever, that was the most beautiful sound I have ever heard in ages." A different male voice swooned.</p><p>The two siamese cats still haven't left Jack's side by the time they entered the room.</p><p>"Beautiful music is nothing compared to how he looks, Berry." Blue said</p><p>"Yes, the song was only a small taste of this beautiful creature's talent." Crystal said.</p><p>All the animals in the room turned their heads to look at the new voices that had entered and interrupted their conversation.</p><p>There was a big African lion leaning by a cage, an orange orangutan on top of the cage, a huge tiger sitting on top of tied down crates sipping something from a cup while a white tiger played with his fur, a mountain lion with a nail file sitting in one of the opened cages and A big black bear holding two small cubs.</p><p>"YOU BROUGHT HIM HERE!?!" The mountain lion cried.</p><p>"Oh my." The orangutan gasped.</p><p>"June, dear, don't yell." The bear said. She was trying to hold a restless cub to her chest, but it wouldn't stay still.</p><p>"Oh my, I have so many questions to ask you Mr . . . Mr. who ever you are." The orangutan said as he jumped from the cage and swong his large, furry arms over to the door we had entered from.</p><p>"OH! I don't believe this!" The mountain lion cried angrily as she pulled down a curtin from inside her cage, hiding her from view.</p><p>"Wow! you must tell me where you learned that. Who taught you? Did you learn it on your own? What other songs can you play? Where-" The orangutan was just so curious he couldn't hold his tongue, but a small paper cup to the head shut him up.</p><p>"Berry, ask him one at a time or you'll give yourself a headache." The African lion said.</p><p>"What's your name Mr. Black cat?" The orange tiger said.</p><p>He wasn't holding his cup any more. (he threw it at the orangutan) He grabbed the white tiger and pulled her onto his lap. She only purred and nuzzled further into his chest fur.</p><p>"Uh . . . Jack" he said. </p><p>"I guess we should ask the most obvious question next. Why are you hear, Jack?" The lion said.</p><p>"I need to go to Europe to save a friend of mine." Jack told them.</p><p>The two siamese sisters have left his side and are now sitting on an upside down bucket that was left by the door. Listening to him intently.</p><p>"A rescue?" The mother bear asked.</p><p>"Ooh, he's a beautiful cat that can play the guitar and likes to play the hero. How wonderful!" Berry said.</p><p>"What kind of trouble is your friend in?" The lion asked.</p><p>Jack had to stop there. He thought back to Oliver. </p><p>What if he told these guys? What would happen? Would they act the same as Oliver did?</p><p>"Uh, he was taken by . . . uh . . . someone and I have to get him back." Jack said vaguely.</p><p>If Oliver is on this ship with them, then word would get around and he wold most likely tell them what Jack told him.</p><p>'I guess there would be no point in hiding it.' Jack thought.</p><p>"He must be a great friend for you to go to such trouble to get him back." One little bear cub said.</p><p>"Or you must be one great friend to try and save him." The other cub said.</p><p>They where sitting on there mother's lap listening to the conversation going on.</p><p>Jack smiled and nodded.</p><p>"Did one of the ring leaders let you on? I don't think that they'd miss someone like you trying to sneak onto the ship." The lion said.</p><p>"Yeah, Agustis brought me on." </p><p>"We should probably tell him our names then." The mother bear said.</p><p>"Yes, I guess we should." The lion agreed.</p><p>"He already knows ours." The siamese sisters purred.</p><p>"Oh! I am Berry." the orangutan said. </p><p>He took Jack's paw in his big hand and shook it excitedly.</p><p>"My name is Hank." The lion said.</p><p>"I'm China and this is Junjie." The white tiger said. She patted the orange tiger's chest when she said his name and he looked up from her head.</p><p>"Hi." He said simply and gave a little wave.</p><p>"I'm Zack." One of the bear cubs said.</p><p>"I'm Nick." The other one said.</p><p>"My name is Sue." The mother bear said.</p><p>"And the ever moody mountain lion hiding in her cage, is June." Berry said.</p><p>There was a faint growl from behind the curtain were said moody lion was.</p><p>"So, now that we've all been introduced, would you mind telling us a little about yourself Jack?" Hank asked.</p><p>"Sure." He said.</p><p>He told them about himself. How much he loved music, who taught him how to play, who Ben was and how they got their selves in this mess (leaving out the name of their catnapper) and also telling them of their adventures. Gambling, fighting off dogs, fighting off old cat ladys.</p><p>Somehow it turned from him telling them about himself to telling them his adventures with Ben like he was some kind of story teller.</p><p>The bear cubs seemed the most interested in his adventures. And that kept him reminded that he had to be careful about the words he used. And that he had to skip and adjust a few parts so he didn't ruin their pure child minds. Soon they fell asleep anyways.</p><p>To say the least it was a fun evening for Jack, but it made him realize just how much he missed his friend and just how much he needed him back.</p><p>'This is going to be one adventure I won't soon forget.' Jack thought.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Cats Hate Water</h2></a>
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    <p>"Guh." He groaned for the hundredth time in the past hour.</p><p>He had jumped up on the ship's rail to release the stomach content sloshing around inside angrily. </p><p>'I will never get on another ship again, for as long as i live.' He vowed. He threw up once more and made it a personal promise.</p><p>After Jack told the circus animals his life and adventures he started to get a little sea sick, soon he left them and went back to the top deck, which was no easy task with the ship's swaying. As soon as he looked over the edge he threw up everything that was in his stomach.</p><p>"Well, I take it you won't be hungry any time soon." A familiar teenage voice said.</p><p>"Guh, nope. I just lost my lunch. It took my appetite with it." He told her.</p><p>"Well if it makes you feel any better, Jack, you just fed the fish swimming under the boat. You may have just made their day." She joked.</p><p>"They'll like it better then I did." He groaned.</p><p>The girl giggled and sat on a crate next to him.</p><p>"I heard you talking to the other animals earlier. Are you really on a rescue mission to save your friend?" She asked.</p><p>"Yep." He said, feeling his stomach flip flop again.</p><p>They watched the ocean in silence. Save for the burping of sea sickness on Jack's part.</p><p>"Guh. How long 'till we hit Europe? I don't think my stomach can take another sway of this ship." </p><p>"Well, we just left the docks . . . 5 hours ago, so, it'll be at least . . . two more weeks. I think." </p><p>"Guh." </p><p>The girl only gave him a sympathetic look. </p><p>"You know I never got your name." Jack said. Hopefully a little chit chat will help him get his mind off of his sea sick stomach.</p><p>"Gracie. Gracie Bixer." </p><p>"And the man that was with you earlier? The strong tall looking guy." </p><p>"That was Jamie." </p><p>"He really liked my guitar didn't he?" </p><p>"Jamie loves music. He said that it's been a long time since he heard music as beautiful as that." Gracie said.</p><p>"But you guys play in a circus. Don't you perform to all kinds of music?" </p><p>"Yeah, but recently we've been trying to keep everything up to date. Like, performing to the new stuff that's out now." </p><p>"Oh, I see. It's just been dubstep, remixes, and whatever else teenagers would be into now a days?" </p><p>She laughed and nodded her head.</p><p>"Yes. And it's been driving him nuts! Especially the rap music." </p><p>"He doesn't like rap?" </p><p>"Not really. He likes the beat sometimes but he can't seem to understand the words. He says they talk too fast for his liking." </p><p>"So, he likes classical music?" </p><p>"He loves classical music." </p><p>"Does he play an instrument?" He was starting to like this man.</p><p>"He knows how to play the banjo and pan flute. He wants to learn the piano, though." </p><p>"Can you play an instrument?" </p><p>"Not really. I chose to dance the music instead of playing it." </p><p>Time past as they chatted more about music. His stomach started to feel better, though, with the distraction of talking to someone.</p><p>As the sun was starting to set a loud horn sounded off. Then voices were getting louder, they were happy and sounded excited for something. </p><p>"Hey Gracie! It's supper time! Go get Jamie and Baxter please!" An African women yelled.</p><p>The women had dark skin and darker hair to match. Her eyes were a shining silver.</p><p>"Ok thanks, Keira!" Gracie yelled back.</p><p>She stood up and dusted off her long blue Skirt.</p><p>"Well, it was nice seeing you again, Jack. I hope your stomach gets better." She said then ran away looking for her large friend.</p><p>"Guh . . . I'll keep that in mind." Jack said. His stomach doing another cartwheel as it was mentioned.</p><p>He watched the sun set over the waves, watching the ocean glitter with it's setting sunshine.</p><p>He didn't feel like eating anything. Not yet, oviously.</p><p>After about another ten minutes he couldn't hear anyone else running around behind him. Everyone had gone down stairs to eat. He was the only one left on the deck.</p><p>"So you found a way to get on the ship anyway, huh?" A voice said.</p><p>Or so he thought. </p><p>He turned around to see Oliver. He didn't look very happy to see him.</p><p>"Look, I don't know what it is with you and this red tabby cat but he has Ben and I need to get him back." </p><p>"Why? What's so important about your friend?" </p><p>By now the sun has completed set and the moon was the only thing casting light out on to the ocean.</p><p>"He and I have been through a lot together. He's like a brother to me." </p><p>"You don't know anything about what your getting in to. Do you?" </p><p>"No. I don't. But I'm determined to save him."</p><p>He studied Jack for a moment.</p><p>"I can't tell if your brave or incredibly stupid." </p><p>Jack sighed. "Most likely both. If I'm honest."</p><p>He had so many questions to ask. He don't know if he even should ask them. What answers would he get? Will he even get an answer?</p><p>Only one way to find out.</p><p>"How bad is Boss Red?"</p><p>"Very." Oliver said simply.</p><p>Well at least he answered.</p><p>"What has he done?" </p><p>Oliver was silent at first. His face showing a mix of different emotions.</p><p>He sighed. "He's a killer. He's killed a lot of cats. Good, innocent, cats. You'll be no different to him, neither will your friend. Keep that in mind when you go to see him." He said.</p><p>Jack watched his face. Watching his emotions. He saw his fear and his anger of his memories clash in his eyes.</p><p>"You think Red has already killed him, don't you?" Jack asked. He didn't want to ask it, he really didn't need to, but he couldn't help but see the answer already in his eyes.</p><p>"I think you're sailing on this boat for a lost cause. Nothing but a goose chase. I think the only thing you will find, will be your own death." </p><p>The old grey cat then turned and walked away.</p><p>"Red isn't a cat you want to mess with, Jack. For your own sake, forget your friend and stop this while you can." Oliver said before he left down the stairs.</p><p>Jack was left alone. Watching the mysterious dark ocean waters splash against the ship's side.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This story is also on Wattpad with the same title. However, I've made it more child friendly there than I have here on A03.</p><p>Just to test out my bad writing skills.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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